White House defends snubbing congressional Democrats at state dinner

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Wednesday defended the administration’s decision not to invite any Democratic lawmakers to President Donald Trump’s first state dinner, breaking with a longstanding tradition to include members of both parties.

“Look, we talk to congressional Democrats all the time. We don't have to have dinner with them to have conversations with them,” Sanders said at a White House press briefing. “We'll continue to talk to them about policy-related issues.”

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The president’s spokeswoman also said the White House’s desire to keep the dinner “intimate and small” factored into the decision to exclude Democratic members of Congress. The final guest list was close to 150.

Sanders also pointed to the fact that a handful of Democrats were in attendance at the meal, though none held elected office except Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards of Louisiana, who appeared at the dinner with his wife.

“I think the fact that there were a number of Democrats that were present kind of negates the fact that it wasn’t a bipartisan dinner,” Sanders said. “There was a wide range of individuals that participated, and we think it was a great success.”

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Decades of presidential administrations have invited both Democrats and Republicans to state dinners and other largely ceremonial events. Trump’s dinner — to celebrate his White House’s first official state visit with President Emmanuel Macron of France — also broke other norms, eschewing high-profile entertainers and members of the media.